Hanky Panky (TV series episode)
Hanky Panky is the 116th episode of M*A*S*H, the 19th in the fifth season of the show, which originally aired on CBS-TV on February 2, 1977. It was both written and directed by Gene Reynolds. Storyline B.J. falls off the fidelity wagon while trying to provide consolation to a nurse whose marriage has just ended. But will he confess his infidelity to his wife? Full episode summary B.J. makes friends with Nurse Carrie Donovan (Ann Sweeny), who seems distracted and sad, but will not say why. She volunteers to work in Post Op with B.J. to follow up on some cases, and he notices her reading a letter. Turns out its a "Dear Jane" letter, where her husband back home says he wants a divorce. She initially does not want to talk about it any further, but B.J. keeps pestering her to open up. Finally, she agrees, and they decide to talk in her tent later on. Late at night, B.J. arrives, and Donovan tells him how devastated she is. She feels alone and despondent, and B.J. tries to give her a pep talk. But it goes from a talk to hand-holding, then a hug, then a kiss... The next morning, Hawkeye sees B.J. at breakfast in the Mess Tent. Hawkeye digs at B.J. a little bit about his not coming home, but B.J. is terse and humorless. He is almost downright rude when Donovan sits down, and after a few seconds of small talk, he leaves. Later that night, Hawkeye catches up with B.J. in the Swamp, writing a letter to Peg. After some nudging, B.J. admits what happened that he spent time with Donovan and he is completely miserable over it. He is writing Peg about it, but Hawkeye is adamant that that is bad idea — he ends up grabbing B.J.'s letter, crumpling it up, and throwing it in the stove. He tells B.J. that he simply made a mistake, and B.J. can punish himself if he wants, but he should not punish Peg. B.J. agrees, but is still miserable. In Col. Potter's office, Nurse Donovan asks for a transfer, saying it is due to personal problems. Potter gently turns her down, saying whatever problems she is having are not much compared to what the wounded are going through. Donovan meekly agrees. Later, while both of them are working in Post Op, B.J. and Donovan have it out, and she lets him know how surly he has been to her since their night together. They talk outside, and B.J. admits how guilty he feels. Donovan accepts and understands this, but insists that what he did — comforting a friend in need — was not wrong. B.J. admits he is still attracted to her, but she firmly states that just because it happened once, does not mean will happen again: "I can work out my own problem. I don't expect you to be the answer to it." They agree to remain friends — "closer than most" — and return to work. (Most syndicated airings end the episode here.) In a side-plot, Margaret is frantic when she doesn't hear from her fiancé, Lt. Col. Donald Penobscot, for several days. When she finally does get a letter, it says he's in Tokyo General Hospital, but it doesn't say what for. She makes Col. Potter and Radar crazy with requests to go to Tokyo to be with him or at least get a call through. When she finally does get Donald on the phone, she's devastated to learn he's in for a double-hernia (inflicted while training on an obstacle course) and, according to Col. Potter, will be out of commission for 8 weeks. (Much of this sub-plot, including her finally getting Donald on the phone in the end, is omitted from most syndicated airings.) Guest stars/Recurring cast *Ann Sweeny as Lt. Carrie Donovan *Uncredited appearances: **Jennifer Davis - post-op (see Lieutenant Jennifer) Trivia * This is one of the few episodes that inexplicably shows a featured character with their own private tent (as a nurse, Lt. Donovan should have been bunking with the rest of the nurses). *B.J. does admit he spent the night with Donavan but doesn't go further about what he did and didn't do with Donovan. *Yet only three epsiodes later the writers made B.J. into a second John Francis Xavier "Trapper" McIntyre in Movie Tonight (TV series episode) Both B.J. and Hawkeye sing a duet about how they work on patients throughout the day and on nurses through the night. *"''War Co-Respondent''" is sort of a remake of this episode in which B.J. is tempted again to have an affair with a female correspondent. External links *[http://www.tv.com/shows/mash/hanky-panky-43315/ M*A*S*H episode Hanky Panky at TV.com] *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt638320/ M*A*S*H episode Hanky Panky at the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)] Category:Season 5 episodes